Volunteering in Nature is a powerful way to help protect Tennessee’s breathtaking landscapes—from its majestic mountains and winding rivers to its vast lakes and lush forests. With forests covering approximately 52% of the state, according to the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, these natural spaces are a vital part of Tennessee’s beauty and ecosystem.

Unfortunately, litter threatens these environments, polluting waterways and endangering wildlife. From fast food containers to improperly discarded tires, trash isn’t just an eyesore—it contaminates groundwater and harms the plants and animals that call Tennessee home.

Beyond making a positive impact on the environment, volunteering in nature also offers tremendous benefits for your physical and mental well-being.

Here’s what you need to know:

Volunteering in Nature Can Improve Your Physical Health

Volunteering in nature is a great way to exercise and promote a heart-healthy lifestyle. Research has shown that volunteering outdoors alongside a river, lake, forest or Tennessee’s scenic byways can strengthen your immune system and increase lung function.

Research has also shown that being in nature lessens morbidity and mortality, decreasing respiratory illness, obesity, cardiovascular disease and other comorbidities and conditions.

Furthermore, it provides an excellent opportunity to stay active and increase your fitness level. Whether you are picking up fast food containers along the roadside or hauling bags of trash out of the lake.

Volunteering Outdoors Also Improve Your Mental Well Being

One of the biggest benefits of volunteering in nature is how it improves your mental health. First, you will get a sense of pride and accomplishment when you make a positive impact on your community.

Whether you are planting trees and flowers, picking up litter and recycling, or helping maintain parks and trails, there is a great sense of purpose in what you do. Additionally, volunteering outdoors has improved moods and reduced overall stress levels.

In fact, according to research, contact with nature has been known to help with depression and anxiety and leads to more positivity in one’s life. So, it is hard not to be in a good mood when you take in the natural beauty of our state.

How You Can Get Involved With Litter Cleanup Events in Tennessee

Want to benefit from volunteering in nature but need help figuring out where to start? You can help reduce litter in Tennessee and simultaneously focus on your mental and physical health. Check out our event calendar and find an event that resonates with you! Join the Nobody Trashes Tennessee Movement and work on yourself at the same time!

Sources:

• Forests – Tennessee Department of Agriculture
  (Department of Agriculture, TN.gov)
• Littering Costs Everyone
  (Facts & Statistics, LitterFreeinTennessee.org)
• How might contact with nature promote human health? Promising Mechanisms and a possible central pathway
  (Ming Kuo, Frontiers.org)